By Kerry Gallagher
A new report from Common Sense Media, “Betting on Boys,” reveals 32% of 11-year olds are gambling and betting behavior increases as they age to 49% among 17-year-olds. Online gaming is the most common gateway; 23% of all boys engage in gambling-related activities like loot boxes or skin trading. Sports betting also draws 12% of boys, with 60% of those participants betting monthly or more. Peer influence is a primary driver, as boys with gambling friends are nearly five times more likely to gamble than those without. Even without peer influence, nearly half of boys see gambling content online, but 59% say it “just started showing up” in their feeds due to algorithms rather than active searching.
Recommended Preventative Steps
- Start early: Initiate conversations before risky patterns take hold.
- Encourage curiosity: Ask your son to show you his favorite games and explain their reward systems.
- Set financial guardrails: Establish clear family rules regarding digital spending. Teaching financial literacy and the true monetary risk of gambling is also important.
- Discuss social pressure: Talk about how he feels when friends pressure him to spend or bet.
- Promote digital literacy: Help him understand how algorithms and ads target him with gambling content.
Warning Signs for Parents
- Overspending: Spending more than planned, common in nearly half of higher-loss gamblers.
- Unauthorized card use: Using parents’ debit or credit cards without permission.
- Frequent participation: Engaging in gambling or betting activities monthly or more.
- Regret or stress: Expressing regret or experiencing conflict with parents about these activities.
- High content consumption: Often watching gambling videos or streams online.
Actionable Help for Families
- Avoid judgment: Frame discussions around digital literacy rather than moral failures.
- Identify motivations: Determine if the goal has shifted from fun to winning money.
- Model healthy behavior: Practice responsible money management and attitudes toward betting yourself.
- Monitor older teens: Stay involved with older boys, as rules often weaken just as participation peaks.
- Address media influence: Discuss unrealistic wealth narratives promoted by influencers.
If you want to find out whether your child is at risk for problematic gambling, you can find assessments for youth and young adults from the National Problem Gambling Helpline. There are also resources available from the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, including the Massachusetts Problem Gambling Helpline.